absence makes the heart go?
by xCaligula
Summary: After a mission together, Naruto and Shikamaru can't get their minds off one another, but with their current workload, they continue to just miss each other, and aren't actually able to work anything out. Or, everyone else figures out that they're in love before they do. AU, ShikaNaru, with background LeeIno, NejiHina, SasuSaku.
1. Chapter 1

They aren't friends, not at first; when Naruto Uzumaki and Shikamaru Nara are in the academy together, they spend some time together, but it is not as friends, and neither one is particularly fond of the other. They both like to slack off and cause trouble, so they're often in trouble together, and that is all there is to it. Shikamaru is close with Choji, and no one else, and Naruto has his issues making friends in general.

And, once they graduate and go their separate ways with their separate teams, they don't see each other much at all, and what little bit they may have bonded in detention is easily forgotten, and they hold nothing for one another but contempt. At least, that's where they are when the Chunin exams begin, though, due to Ino and Sakura's odd relationship, the teams are brought together more often than they'd prefer.

The Chunin exams brought a lot of Genin closer together that year, and they're friends before they notice it happening. For instance, Naruto never expects to wake up in the hospital to find Shikamaru watching over him, and though he claims that it's simply because he got bored visiting Choji, there's really no reason for him to have sat there, watching over Naruto for so long.

The experiences that follow with Gaara, the things that they see and that they share, solidify the bond they have been forming, and from that point on, there is no denying that they are friends. Naruto latches onto him, and Shikamaru can't be bothered to try to shake him, and that is how things stay for quite some time.

~X~

It's a busy time, and the forces in the village are stretched rather thin as everyone is made to work where they fit best. With that in mind, it's difficult to pull together a full team to carry out a minor mission, but they manage, no matter how random the assignment may seem to be.

Shikamaru and Ino are still available, but they need two others to complete their team, which is where Naruto and Rock Lee come in. They won't be gone for long, but there are quite a few nights where they stay out together, and enough downtime that they have a lot of time alone together as a team. Naruto never noticed any special connection between Lee or Ino before; hell, he didn't even notice them getting closer during the mission, but one night, the two of them have disappeared, and he is alone with Shikamaru.

"I can't believe she's throwing herself at him like that," Shikamaru mutters, completely out of context.

"Huh? Who's doing what now?"

"Ino," he says, "who else? Come on, she's been making eyes at Lee this whole time. I don't know when all _that _started, but I knew she was way too excited about this mission." Sighing, he shakes his head. "She's such a pain, I swear."

"Wait, Ino and...and..._ what _?!" Naruto's eyes widen in disbelief, as Shikamaru's words finally sink in. "There's just no _way _!"

"Yeah, well, apparently there's _some _way," he replies. "I don't know what started it. Maybe she's just desperate."

"Maybe...I always thought he was into Sakura, so I don't know when _he _switched over like that. I guess he just has a type?"

"What? Girls who are loud and a total pain in the ass? If so, they don't seem to be in short supply," Shikamaru mutters, and Naruto isn't sure whether he should laugh, or make some attempt to defend Sakura.

"Seriously, though, you really think that she...that they…?" Shaking his head, Naruto says, "No way, it's just too weird! I mean, you know how Ino is, she would never...would she?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I don't pretend to understand _women _."

"You're the genius here, though!"

"So what? That doesn't mean anything where they're concerned, and you know it," he says with a sigh. "Honestly, I think they just get more complicated all the time. I'll never understand them, so I've given up. You should too."

"I wanna try to disagree with you, but Ino is totally crazy. I don't know how you put up with her all the time." Naruto gives a shudder, imagining how the hot headed blonde would wring his neck if she heard him talking like that. "And Sakura's great and all, but I've known her for years and I still can't figure her out at all! Maybe you're right about that."

"Of course I'm right. Women are like a totally different species, and Ino and Sakura are some of the most extreme out there. It's better to just keep your distance so you can keep your sanity, and let them do whatever they want, and just not question it."

Naruto thinks about what Shikamaru has said, and nods to himself. There's a lot of truth to it, even if he does judge girls pretty harshly, especially where Ino is concerned, and even Sakura. Lately, Naruto has all but given up on trying to win her over. It's been hard enough getting their team to pull itself together, and after all these years, though they've grown closer and are a fully functioning unit, he's made no progress on wooing her, and there are times when he thinks that she and Sasuke are getting closer without him.

Well, no point moping about that now. It's a nice night, and he and Shikamaru are watching the stars together- something that the other man says is almost as nice as cloud gazing- and he doesn't have anything to worry about. It's nice to have friends, particularly ones like Shikamaru, that he really enjoys talking to.

"So, what about you? How have you been doing lately?" he asks, wanting to fill the silence.

"Everything is the same as ever, of course. That's how I like it, though, don't want things to get too complicated," Shikamaru replies. "Things are busy, but the missions are easy and kind of mundane, so that's nice."

"Man, I know what you mean! 'Course, Sasuke and Sakura both have their own things to do, so that's why I got stuck here. It's kind of unfair that they've been so busy. I mean, teams are supposed to stick together, right?"

"Right, but we all have our specialities, and sometimes it's good to be able to be versatile," Shikamaru says. "Besides, our teams, and Team Kurenai, and Team Gai...things are different for us. We all have a pretty special connection, or at least, we all work together really well. You could throw together any combination based on what specialities were needed for a mission, and I think we could pull it off."

"That's definitely true." Naruto grins, thinking about all the friends he's made over the years. Some were more difficult than others, but he treasures each and every one of them. "I'm glad we met, Shikamaru."

"Whoa, now, where's all this sentimentality coming from?" he asks with a chuckle. "Taking a trip down memory lane?"  
"Maybe. I'm just thinking about how we all kind of couldn't stand each other back in the day, but then everything changed. Remember when you visited me in the hospital? And we were gonna tease Choji?"

"But then we ran into Gaara trying to kill Lee," he says, with a shudder. "Man, I still get the creeps thinking about that."

"But he changed," Naruto adds, "and for the better, too. You'd barely recognize him as the same person now! Him, and his brother and sister."

"Man, don't remind me of that sister of his," Shikamaru says. "Speaking of troublesome women…"

"Aw, come on, don't worry about that right now! It's just us guys, right? Just you and me, old friends!" He laughs. "I really like talking to you like this, Shikamaru."

"Same goes for you, Naruto."

Both are quiet for a while after that, just enjoying the near silence of the peaceful night, both laying out in the grass, side by side. When they hear approaching footsteps, they both jump up, but it's only their teammates, returning from wherever the hell they disappeared to.

"Oh!" Ino says, looking more than a little guilty. "I didn't know you two were still up."

"I could say the same for you, but I noticed you were gone," Shikamaru says, giving her a look, and Naruto nods.

"Yeah, we're onto you two! Tell us where you were!"

"We were only taking a walk!" Lee insists, his voice earnest as ever. "On a beautiful night like this, I had to-"

"It's none of your business, actually!" Ino protests, clenching her fists. "So, if you know what's good for you, you'll drop it!"

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Naruto mutters to Shikamaru.

"Oh, yeah," he says. "So not worth it."

The rest of the mission passes similarly, and whenever they have down time, Ino and Lee are usually nowhere to be found, and Naruto and Shikamaru discuss this, as well as other things, anything that is going on in their lives. They return to the village, feeling closer than ever before, and unable to define just what it is that's changed.

But then it's back to business as usual, and they aren't even able to see each other in passing.


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't wait to tell you guys all about my mission!" Naruto says, as he and his teammates sit down to eat. He's happy to find, when he returns, that they all have some time to spare for once, even Kakashi, and it'll be nice to get to spend some time with them. From what he heard, Shikamaru barely had a chance to catch his breath after their last mission, before he and Ino were sent back out, with the rest of their team, this time.

"You aren't even going to ask how we've been doing?" Sakura asks with a sigh. "You really do have a one track mind, Naruto."

"Aw, come on, I've been looking forward to talking about this! You guys can tell me about your dates, or whatever, later," he says.

"Dates?" Sasuke asks, raising a brow.

"Excuse you, but I've been really busy at the hospital!" Sakura protests with a blush.

"I do hope you weren't including me in that statement," Kakashi adds.

"Anyway, come on! Just let me talk!" Naruto doesn't give them further chance to protest, launching into stories about his brief time away from the village, focusing mostly on the times he spent with Shikamaru, though he doesn't intend to. That's just where most of his stories come from, and it isn't until the end that he remembers to say, "Oh, yeah! Ino and Bushy Brow kept disappearing together, and Shikamaru thinks that they're…you know…" He makes a few gestures hoping to get his point across.

"What?! Why didn't you say that sooner?!" Sakura exclaims. "Seriously, that's way more interesting than your bromance with Shikamaru! Ino is...oh my god!"

Sakura alternates between scolding him and grilling him for details, even more shocked by the rumor than Naruto initially was. Kakashi and Sasuke keep their distance from the conversation, both amused by their more enthusiastic teammates. Naruto honestly doesn't realize why he didn't start with that, or why he spent most of his time talking about Shikamaru, when his stories regarding Shikamaru usually involved their downtime, and the more boring parts of the mission.

"I haven't seen Lee around as much as usual, that's for sure," Sakura says. "And Ino's backed off Sasuke almost completely, but I thought that was just because she realized it was completely hopeless. I had no idea they were rebounding with each other!"

There was a time when Naruto would have asked what she meant about Ino, and things being hopeless with Sasuke, and perhaps he would have even challenged Sasuke outright, or told Sakura that he was a much better choice, but right now, he holds back, and he isn't sure why. He never realized that his childhood crush on Sakura was fading, or that he was more willing to support them, if something were to happen between her and Sasuke. It's weird, just like his focus on stories relating to Shikamaru, but he's not one to dwell on things like that, so he decides that it isn't important.

~X~

"Thank you so much for showing up on such short notice," Temari says with a smile. "Things have been kind of tight here, so we really appreciate the help."

"Yeah, yeah," Shikamaru mutters. "It's a total pain, you know? I just got back to the village, and had to leave right away. I didn't have a chance to rest at all."

"Whatever, I was on that mission too, you know," Ino says, shoving him. "It was so easy, you basically got to rest the whole time! Besides, you don't need to be rude, you know?"

"We're always happy to help," Asume speaks up, looking as exasperated as ever with his team's behavior. "Sorry about that, you know how Shikamaru is."

"Oh, I know all too well," Temari says, giving him a grin. "Isn't that right, Shikamaru?"

"Whatever," he says with a sigh. "Just let us get to work so we can get this over with and go home."

"Shikamaru, you're treading thin ice," Choji mutters to him. "Ino looks like she's ready to-"

"What did I just get through telling you about being rude?!" Needless to say, it takes them some time to actually get to work, and once Ino has a chance to really talk to him again, she says, "I don't know what your deal is, Shikamaru."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You know Temari's gotta be into you. I mean, you've seen the way she looks at you, and the way she talks to you, too! I'd bet you anything that she's interested, while you act like you couldn't care less."

"Well, that's because I couldn't care less," he replies. "Women like her are a total pain in the ass."

"Don't you say that about every woman?" she asks with a huff. "What's the deal? Do you just not like women? Is that it?"

"Maybe not," he says with a sigh, and she looks surprised at how easily he admits to it.

"You're totally hopeless, you know that?"

"Come on, Ino," Choji says, "you don't have to give him such a hard time. You already know Shikamaru isn't interested in stuff like this. There's no point in harping at him."

"I guess, but still…" She sighs. "Sometimes I feel like looking after you two is such a chore."

"And who said you had to look after us? Last I checked, Asuma outranks all of us, and I outranked both of you for a while there," Shikamaru says. "Besides, at least we're focusing on our mission, rather than romance. How _are _things going with Lee, by the way?"

"Wh-wh-what are you _talking _about?!" she asks, with a nervous and forced laugh. "Now, now, don't go changing the subject, we were talking about _your _lovelife, so don't...don't go making this about me or I'll kill you!"

"Looks like Ino's lost her temper again," Choji whines. "Good going, Shikamaru."

"You kids," Asuma says, shaking his head, knowing that he won't be able to tune out his team's bickering any longer.

~X~

Ino still isn't completely willing to drop the subject, however, and after their small mission, on their way back to the village, she begins grilling Shikamaru again. "So, Temari seemed pretty sad to see you go."

"This again?" he asks with a sigh. "When are you going to let that go?"

"If you don't want to go out with her, fine, but are you ever going to start showing interest in _anyone _? It doesn't even have to be a girl, I'll take anything!" she groans. "Just please stop making me worry about you!"

"For the last time, you don't have anything to worry about. It's none of your business either way, but just let me live my life, and you live yours," replies Shikamaru.

"Yeah, Ino, there's no need to be nosy," Choji says. "Speaking of which, when are you going to tell me about Lee? Shikamaru keeps mentioning that, so I'm getting pretty curious!"

"Ugh, I really will kill you for this, Shikamaru," she mutters, before sighing. "I guess there's no hiding it anymore, huh? Fine, _fine _. Maybe we're going out. So what? I don't see why that concerns either of you!"

"And yet you think our love lives are these big concerns," Shikamaru says under his breath, earning himself a sharp glare from her.

"Lee is really sweet, okay? I know he doesn't look like much, but I'm growing up, and looks really aren't everything once you reach my age," she says, as if she's significantly older than them, or somehow more mature now that she has a steady boyfriend. "He helped me one day when I had a big delivery to do for my family's shop, and I wanted to treat him as a thank you, but he wouldn't let me pay, and I kept taking him out to try to pay for him, and things just took off from there. That's all!"

"As long as you're happy with him, then that means you've made a good choice," Asume interjects, ever the fatherly one.

Getting Ino to talk about Lee is a good enough distraction, at least at first, but then she says, "What did you and Naruto get up to on the last mission, anyway? Whenever we had downtime, you were always together."

"Because you and Lee were always disappearing," he replies with a shrug.

"So? You know why _we _were now, so what about you two? Is that why you're not interested in girls?" she asks teasingly. "Maybe you've got a secret boyfriend too?"

He pictures Naruto for a moment there, remembering all the times they spent together, and even remembering further back, through all the memories they discussed during that downtime, but then he realizes he's hesitated for too long, and hasn't said anything. "Don't be stupid," is all he says.


	3. Chapter 3

Team Asuma does not return from their mission before Naruto and his team are sent out on one, yet another easy one. It seems that that's all that the village has to deal with these days; piles upon piles of super tedious, simple missions, that keep everyone busy, but don't offer enough challenge to really be that much of a problem.

It's not like he would normally spend any time with Shikamaru in the lull between missions, but, for whatever reason, Naruto has been dying to get caught up, even with there not being much to get caught up on. He and Shikamaru have considered each other pretty good friends for several years now, but he supposes they just got a little closer on their shared mission, and that's why he wants to see him so much.

Whatever the case, he finds himself thinking about Shikamaru a lot lately, to the point that both Sasuke and Sakura have said that he seems distracted during training, and Kakashi has scolded him for that. He never thought that he was that distracted, but if everyone else is noticing it, then maybe it's worse than he realizes, not that he knows the reason for that to begin with.

He just hopes that he will be able to see Shikamaru again soon, and that they'll be able to talk more, like they did on their mission. Maybe they can get in some training together, since it's been a while since the last time they sparred, and then they can watch the clouds together, since that's what he seems to prefer to do. They can talk, just like they did on their mission, and that is what Naruto looks forward to most of all. He knows that he has to be patient, but it already feels like he's been waiting forever.

"You've been off your game for a while," Sasuke will say to him. "Be careful, or I'll surpass you so quickly you won't even see me."

"Honestly, Naruto," Sakura will sigh, "are you even paying attention anymore? What's gotten into you lately, anyway?"

"Training is important, so please try not to let your personal life distract you too much," Kakashi will add, sometimes even going so far as to give him a full lecture. They talk to him so knowingly that it's almost as if they already know what's gotten into him, but he doesn't see how they could, when even he can't figure it out. It must just be them trying to talk with superiority, or something like that.

~X~

"Do you think something happened between Shikamaru and Naruto?" Sakura asks Ino one day, when she can't take it anymore. They've only just gotten back from their most recent mission, and Sakura went to find her friend, running their family's shop for the afternoon, to try and investigate further.

"What, you mean on our last mission together?" Ino asks. "Have you noticed something fishy too?"

"Like how all Naruto ever talks about is Shikamaru? Like how that's pretty much the only thing he told us about his mission?" Suddenly, Sakura grins, leaning closer over the counter. "He barely even found time to tell me about you and Lee."

"H-hey, now! We're _here _to talk about those two clowns, not about me!" Ino protests, and Sakura laughs.

"Oh, Ino, you can be so obvious sometimes. You know, I would tease you about it, but Lee's not a bad catch. He'll treat you well, that much is for sure, and he always puts his all into everything he does, so you two probably make a good match," she says, but then her grin grows. "It's just nice to know you finally gave up on beating me, pig."

"Oh, whatever! He used to drool over you, so I think the fact that I stole him away is enough of a victory on its own. Maybe he realized he prefers girls with normal sized foreheads."

"You wanna say that again, pig? I'll make you regret it."

"As entertaining as that challenge is, I thought you came here to talk about _Naruto _," Ino says, getting the conversation back on topic. "So, he's been talking a lot about Shikamaru, huh?"

"When he talks. He's _quiet _sometimes, you _know _that's not like Naruto at all. But when he talks, it's always Shikamaru this and Shikamaru that, ever since that mission. He was so bummed out when you guys left, and when we had to leave before you guys got back," she says. "It wouldn't surprise me if he was looking for Shikamaru right now, with how impatient he's been."

"Well, he won't have any luck there. We were supposed to get a little bit of downtime, but Kurenai's starting to get to the point where she can't carry out missions until after the baby's born, so they made him fill in for her, and go on a mission with her team," Ino says. "You should have heard him whining about it, I can't _believe _how lazy he still is, after all this time."

"Wow, that's pretty unlucky. So, what about _him _? Has he been acting weird since that mission too?"

"He was acting weird _on _the mission, honestly. I didn't really notice at the time-"

"Too busy with Lee?"

"Shut up, forehead. I didn't really notice it at the time, but they were together a lot, and Shikamaru's mentioned it a couple times. Mostly in passing, but you know, he doesn't talk a lot, especially not about other people that much. Usually if I'd give him shit for spending so much time slacking off with Naruto, he'd say it was the same for me and Lee, and maybe I'm looking too deep into this, but if it was the _same _-"

"Then that would mean he likes Naruto!"

"Exactly!" Ino nods, grinning. "Or maybe it goes even deeper than that. Maybe he doesn't even realize that he likes Naruto yet, and it's all subconscious."

"Well, I'm _sure _Naruto hasn't figured his feelings out yet. He's an idiot about pretty much anything that doesn't involve fighting, and if he did have it figured out, he wouldn't be this good at keeping it to himself. He'd be running around, screaming and freaking out about it, until the whole _village _knew."

"At this rate, the whole village _will _know, before he ever does. Before Shikamaru does either, he's totally clueless on matters of love."

"So you really think that's what it is?"

"I don't think it could be anything else."

"They'll probably be completely helpless without expert hands to guide them."

"If we're really good friends, we should help them figure it out."

"But it'd also be more fun to see how long it takes for them to figure it out on their own."

"Sakura, I like how you think."

~X~

So the two of them keep their discoveries to themselves, and Sakura continues to give Naruto a hard time during training, but does not try to push him too far in either direction. She doesn't want to take the fun out of things and help him figure it out, and even goes so far as to tell both Sasuke and Kakashi about this privately.

Needless to say, they already had similar suspicions regarding Naruto and his potential crush on the lazy genius.


	4. Chapter 4

Shikamaru hasn't been on a proper mission with any of the members of Team Kurenai in some time, but they're all rather good friends of his, and the four work together fairly seamlessly, even if he is just filling in for their sensei, as she copes with her second pregnancy. Kiba teases Hinata often throughout the mission, claiming that it will be her last one as a single woman.

The marriage between the Hyuga heiress and the genius from the branch family has been the talk of the village for a while now. Everyone who doesn't know the two assumes that it's simply a political marriage, to keep the main family strong, and maybe that was the original intent, but anyone who knows the two well knows of the love that developed between them. Some thought that Hinata would never be able to take her eyes off of Naruto long enough to find any other potential husbands, but it seems that Neji was able to win her heart, in the end.

Naruto…

Lately, more and more often, Shikamaru finds his thoughts returning to the obnoxious blonde, and it's getting to be a total pain. He doesn't like getting distracted, and that's the state Naruto leaves him in, making it hard for him to lose himself when he's lazing around. It's not like him to think this much about anyone, and it's starting to piss him off.

"You should see if you can get time off for the wedding," Kiba says, "Me and Shino and Kurenai-sensei aren't taking missions after this one, not unless they're guaranteed to be quick, cos we don't want to miss it for the world. Well, Kurenai-sensei might not be taking any missions for the rest of her pregnancy, with how things are looking, but you get it!"

"I'll see what I can do, but the Hokage has been running me absolutely ragged lately," Shikamaru says. "I don't know how she gets anything done with how much she seems to depend on me."

"If she heard you say that, she'd probably kill you," Shino chimes in.

"Yeah, definitely," Kiba agrees. "Anyway, I think we should all be able to go to the wedding. Your team, my team, Neji's team, and Naruto's too!"

"If you can't make it, then that's okay," Hinata says softly, with her usual gentle smile. She's been blushing furiously this whole time, but she speaks more clearly, with a more steady voice than she used to, all the same. "I'll understand. Duty to the village always comes first."

"Come on, Hinata, you know you want everyone there!" Kiba insists. "So, Shikamaru, you better do your best to drag your whole team there, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Like I said, Lady Tsunade has been running me ragged, so I don't know about that," he says. "Ever since my mission with Naruto, I've barely had any time to rest, you know?"

"Huh? You went on a mission with just Naruto?"

"No _just _Naruto. Obviously there were others there, it was a full four-man cell."

"Yeah, but you just said Naruto."

"Ino and Rock Lee were there too."

"But you _just _said Naruto, so you have to understand my confusion. I'm not the stupid one!"

"The only person who called you stupid was you, Kiba," Shino says. "But I do admit, it seems strange that Shikamaru would only specify Naruto. Did something significant happen on that mission?"

"Significant like what?" Shikamaru asks, a bit too defensively, though he only realizes that once the words are already out of his mouth and it's too late to change his tone. What has gotten into him lately?

"Something for him to be the first one you mention," replies Shino. "You can say it's because Naruto is such a memorable guy, but Ino and Lee are both pretty memorable on their own. Neither one of them is exactly known for being quiet, and what's more, Ino is already your regular teammate. So? Did something happen?"

It's just like Shino to stay quiet, and, when he speaks, to only say weird things like that. He's perceptive, but in strange ways, and he doesn't know how to mind his own business, once he's decided to butt into something. Shino keeps to himself most of the time, but when he doesn't, he's a total pain in the ass. Like right now, and Shikamaru is honestly at a loss for what to say. He's quiet, and he's quiet for too long, until it is Kiba who breaks the silence.

"What the hell are you talking about, Shino?" he asks. "What would have even happened?"

"I have no idea."

"Wha- then what was the point of saying anything?!"

"I was only curious."

"You say it like you expect Shikamaru to admit to some scandalous affair or something. Wait, is that it? Did you think that they were-"

"You'd better watch your mouth," Shino interrupts. "We're still in the presence of a lady."

"It's nothing Hinata hasn't heard me say before and you know it. Was that really what you thought?" Kiba pauses for a moment before turning to Shikamaru and saying, "_ Is _that what happened? Oh, man, are you and Naruto, like...a _thing _, or something?"

"What the hell?" Shikamaru asks, glad that he can remain a bit more composed than he feels. "Both of you guys are crazy. I feel sorry for Hinata, having to deal with you all the time."

"Hey, don't be a jerk! It's not like we would judge you if you _were _doing Naruto, you know!"

"Shouldn't you stop slacking off?"

"That's so rich, coming from you, Shikamaru!"

"Please, don't start fighting," Hinata tries to interject, and Shino simply shakes his head.

~X~

Shino lets the subject go after that, reverting back to his usual, impenetrable, quiet self, but Kiba is a different matter altogether, bringing it up whenever he has the chance. Shikamaru would think he'd be more sensitive, considering the monstrous crush Hinata used to have on Naruto, but maybe, since she's already moved on, it isn't that big of a deal, or maybe Kiba is just too stupid to be sensitive in the first place.

Whatever the case, he continues to badger Shikamaru, obsessed with the idea of him being involved with Naruto in some way, but it isn't as if he has anything to learn, or as if Shikamaru has anything to share. There's nothing going on between him and Naruto, and there's no potential for there to be anything between him and Naruto...he's pretty sure.

But lately, more and more often, there's been some doubt creeping in, and Kiba's frequent harassment is no help in that matter. It doesn't matter what Shikamaru does, he can't escape thoughts of Naruto, or doubts about his feelings on the subject, and that is enough to throw him off base completely.

It seems almost like cruel fate that Naruto is out on another mission once Shikamaru and Team Kurenai return from theirs.

_Oh well _, he thinks. _Trying to talk to him right now would just be troublesome, wouldn't it? I deserve to rest after all I've had to do lately. _


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto wants to protest his latest mission, but he knows that he can't exactly turn down an official assignment just because he hasn't had the chance to see Shikamaru in several weeks. It's a stupid reason to be so upset, and he doesn't know what's gotten into him lately. He knows that his teammates have picked up on it too, because they enjoy teasing him, and making note of how distracted he always is.

Sakura in particular likes to call him out on it, and even though he's used to her giving him a hard time, this feels different, somehow. She acts like she knows something he doesn't, and that's frustrating, but if he asks her why she's always picking on him, she'll just say something about how he's brought it on himself. Well, that's Sakura, just as impossible to read as ever, and yet another thing to remind him of his mission with Shikamaru.

_Man, I wish he was here, so we could talk about this! I bet I know exactly what he'd say about how she's acting, too… _

He supposes he should be grateful that she's more focused on him than Sasuke for once, but that's still no great comfort to him. Though he used to be absolutely infatuated with her, something's changed over time, and he didn't notice the change until he was already too far gone. He sometimes thinks about how he used to feel about her, and how he feels now, and he feels like he's almost on the edge of some great discovery.

But if he doesn't like her anymore, then there's nothing to discover, right?

~X~

"Do you think we'll be sent out again, and we won't be able to go to Hinata and Neji's wedding?" Naruto asks, once this mission is over and they're able to make the journey back to Konoha. "I mean, things have been so busy lately, that it doesn't seem like we'll be allowed any time off, but that's so unfair! I want to see it!"

"Do you really think you'll be able to sit still for that long?" Sasuke asks, and Naruto scowls at him.

"And just what's that supposed to mean, huh?"

"I think you know exactly what it means, Naruto."

Before they can start bickering in earnest, Sakura speaks up, saying, "I do know what you mean, Naruto. I really don't want to miss the wedding either. It'd be nice if everyone could be there."

"And Gai will probably be bawling his eyes out over one of his students getting married so young," Kakashi says. "He'll be proud, but also distraught over how fast they're growing up."

"And you're probably hoping to get to see him there," Sakura says, which throws Kakashi off guard.

"Sakura, I wouldn't-"

"Yeah! It could be like a reunion for everyone!" Naruto interrupts, unknowingly saving his sensei from having to try to explain himself. "If everyone could be there, it'd be great, cos-"

"Cos you'd finally get to see Shikamaru again, right?"

"W-well, yeah," Naruto says, wondering how she realized that was the main person he was thinking about, "but I meant everyone else too. You know? Everyone!"

"Right, of course," she says, not sounding like she believes him in the slightest.

"Come on, Sakura! What are you talking about?"

"You're completely hopeless," she says, and when he looks to Sasuke, perhaps in hope of some support, Sasuke simply nods in agreement.

~X~

"Are you kidding me?" Shikamaru asks with a sigh.

"I wish I was," Tsunade replies. "Trust me, for a team like yours, this will be easy, and you'll be home in no time."

"Yeah, you said that about the last one, and the one before that," he says.

"And I was right every time, wasn't I? Complain all you want, but you should be honored that you're this useful!"

"You haven't given me hardly any downtime lately."

"Hey, now, it's been a week since you got back from your last mission," she says. "If you've been loafing around that whole time, and still think you deserve more time off, then you're just as lazy as...well, honestly, that wouldn't be all that surprising. Anyway, there's no way out of this."

"Such a pain," he mumbles.

"Tell you what. If you can get through this without complaining too much, I'll give you all some time off. The Hyuuga wedding is coming up, right?" she asks. "Unless the situation is absolutely dire, I'll make sure that you and the rest of Team Asuma are able to attend."

"That's almost a good enough deal," he says, "but you're probably forgetting somebody. I know Hinata's team has been promised the same thing, and I'd bet Neji's team has too, but would it really be a party without Naruto's team?" He doesn't know what possesses him to ask that, but he decides that it is just out of a sense of loyalty, or maybe nostalgia.

"Are you really trying to bargain with me?" Tsunade raises a brow. "You're getting kind of cheeky, thinking you can negotiate like this! But...whatever, I'll see what I can do. You guys can have your little reunion, just _please _stop bitching and moaning every time I have work for you."

"Alright, you got yourself a deal," he agrees, not sure why he feels so satisfied. As if he really cares about going to some wedding...even if it is two of his friends, it's still nothing but a pain. But still, he's excited nonetheless, and feels like he's accomplished something special, something important.

~X~

He tells his teammates about the deal he struck up, and Ino and Choji both celebrate the prospect of enough time off to go to the wedding, with Ino gushing about how beautiful Hinata will look, and Choji wondering what sorts of food will be served there. However, while they're both busy getting excited, Asuma gives Shikamaru a knowing look, and he can just tell that some sort of "important talk" is coming up.

And, sure enough, he takes him aside the first chance he can get, and says, "You know, if you ever need any advice about anything, I'll offer whatever help I can."

"What are you getting at?" Shikamaru asks, not in the mood to beat around the bush today.

Sighing, Asuma says, "Look, everyone has noticed you acting a little different lately. Both Ino and Choji have asked me about it...particularly Ino. She keeps saying something about the mission you and her went on? The one with Naruto?"

"This again? Why does everyone seem to think there's something going on between me and Naruto?" he asks with a groan.

"Maybe because you kind of act like there is," Asuma replies, shrugging. "Sorry, but I'm just calling it like I see it. You've been acting weird since then, and if one of us brings him up, you get more defensive than usual. Most of the time you just brush things off without bothering to defend yourself, but it's different here, like you have something to hide."

"Well, there isn't anything to hide," he says, mimicking his teacher's shrug. "Nothing happened between us."

"Do you wish something did?"

The question hangs in the air for a moment, and for the first time, Shikamaru seriously considers the meaning behind that.

Finally, all he can say is, "Dunno."

"Well, I guess it's just something to think about," Asuma replies, and then he lets it go completely.


	6. Chapter 6

"At this point, I'm not even surprised," Naruto mutters to himself, dragging his feet as he walks with his hands jammed in his pockets. Of course Team Asuma is gone on another mission, and of course he's not going to be able to see Shikamaru again. He still doesn't know why he cares so much, but if it's complicated then it isn't worth thinking about, and isn't worth trying to understand. At least, that's what he's told himself, since it's been too confusing trying to figure this out.

He feels like he won't be able to understand anything until he's actually able to see Shikamaru face to face, and maybe then he'll know why he's wanted to see him so much. Until then, he's going to stay confused, he just knows it, and that's why it's so frustrating that they keep _just barely _missing each other.

"Hey, Naruto! Hey!" He turns at the familiar voice, to see Kiba waving at him. Shino is at his side, and Naruto grins, running up to join them.

"Hey, guys! It's been a while!" he says. "Things have been totally crazy lately, huh?"

"Yeah, your team has been in and out a lot, huh?" asks Kiba. "But, hey, have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Lady Tsunade's gonna try to avoid sending all of us out as much as possible until the wedding is over! Like, your team and Team Asuma too, I mean!"

"What, really?" Naruto's eyes widen, and so does his grin. "Aw, man, that's so great! We're all gonna get to go!"

"Yeah, all of us," Kiba says, with a sudden sly grin. "Including...you know..._ Shikamaru _."

"What the hell?!" Naruto exclaims. "Why are _you _on about that too?!"

"Oh, so you hear it a lot, huh?" He laughs. "Looks like it's totally obvious to everyone! Man, I thought maybe I was crazy, but it's gotta be true."

"What are you talking about? Kiba, did you go crazy or something?"

"He's talking about your relationship, I think," Shino says. "Kiba thinks that the two of you are having an affair, or something of the sort."

"It was your idea!" Kiba protests. "Don't act like this is all on me, you're the one who wanted to know why Shikamaru was talking about him?"

"Okay, now I know _both _of you are totally crazy!" Naruto says, scowling. He hates the way his heartbeat speeds up at that remark, as if it were actually true or something. Obviously they aren't having an affair, because if they were, he would know about it, but if he's getting flustered at the thought of it, then that has to mean something, right?

It means more than he wants to think about, and he's not _ready _to think about that yet. He doesn't have time to get teased by these two weirdos, and he isn't interested in anything else that they have to say.

"Did we strike a nerve? Huh, Naruto?" Kiba leans closer. "You know, if there's something going on, you can tell your best friends, right?"

"I don't see any best friends here," he retorts. "Besides, there's nothing to tell, so get off my case!"

"Aw, you shouldn't be so shy, you know?"

It takes Naruto quite some time to actually get Kiba off of his case, and Shino's occasional interjections do not help at all.

~X~

So, maybe avoiding his feelings isn't the best course of action. Maybe he's known that all along and maybe he hasn't; Naruto has never been the brightest. Whatever the case, avoiding his feelings isn't the best course of action, and even if he can't face Shikamaru right now, he's going to be able to soon, and it might be better to understand more of his feelings between now and then.

So where does he start? Where did any of this start? When did it start? Was it when they laid under the stars together, and agreed that they couldn't understand their female teammates, or was it that day, when they had to face off against Gaara together in the hospital? Was it sooner than that, when he woke up that same day to find Shikamaru watching over him, or was it when they were children, back at the academy, bonded in their troublemaking and little else?

Naruto doesn't know. He doesn't know anything about any of this because he has so little experience. It was easier understanding when he liked Sakura, because he thought she was cute, and admired how brainy she was when he struggled with things like that, and other boys his age talked about taking girls on dates and he knew that if he were going to take a girl, Sakura would be his first choice. He never really thought about guys like that, even though he knew that was a thing, and so, he never really knew what it felt like to like a guy.

Is that what's going on now?

Well, Shikamaru is certainly brainy, even if he tries to act like he isn't and slacks off most of the time. Naruto doesn't know if he'd describe him as "cute", because that feels so, _so _weird, but he's definitely not unattractive. Would he want to go on a date with him? What's it even like to go on a date, anyway? Come to think of it, he never made any progress with Sakura, so he's got no idea what a date really entails.

Maybe talking a lot? If it's just hanging out and talking, that's something that he already does with Shikamaru, and that's what started this whole mess in the first place. He liked when they hung out and talked together, so would that mean that he would like going on dates with him? He's overthinking things, and he has never been fond of thinking in the first place. Maybe he does like Shikamaru, and maybe he likes him in the kind of way that makes him want to be with him, in the way that he liked Sakura. It's way more complicated this time, for some reason, but he thinks that he's at least arrived at the root of the problem.

Naruto still doesn't know how this happened, nor does he know what he's supposed to do from this point on, but he thinks he finally understands his feelings, at least a little bit better. If he does like Shikamaru, and he's almost certain now that he does, then the best course of action is to go for it. He's never been one to hold back when he wants something, and he wants to spend more time with Shikamaru, and if that means he wants to date him, then he's going to shoot for that.

They're going to get to see each other at the wedding; everyone is going to be there. There's not going to be anything standing in his way, and as soon as he sees Shikamaru, he's going to say something! He's been waiting for this for too long now, with all the near misses, all the times that either one of them has just left, and Naruto has grown impatient. He's not letting anything get in the way of him finally talking to Shikamaru!


	7. Chapter 7

The ceremony is a beautiful one, or at least Naruto thinks that's how it should be described, but he isn't really an expert on the subject of weddings. It is nice, at least, to see two of his good friends together and so happy, but he has to admit that he's really distracted throughout the whole thing. This is the first time he's really seen Shikamaru since their mission, and, though they haven't had a chance to interact yet, he keeps stealing glances at Shikamaru.

He's sitting with his team- and Ino has Lee at her side- but Naruto isn't sure if he's looked back at him. All he can do is try to keep focused on the actual ceremony, until things are over, and everyone makes their way to the reception. Of course, it's extravagant, being hosted by the Hyuuga clan, but for once, Naruto doesn't care much about the free food, ready to finally get to talk to Shikamaru.

"Good luck out there," Sakura says to him, seeing the way he looks across the room.

"H-huh?" he asks, before giving a nervous laugh. "What would I need good luck with?"

She doesn't answer, giving him a nudge forward. "Good luck, Naruto."

"Yeah, thanks," he says with a nod. It's not like he can continue to play dumb now that he's come to terms with his feelings anyway, especially not when he's about to finally do something about it. So he takes one step followed by another, crossing the room and closing the distance between the two of them, until he's face to face with Shikamaru.

"Long time, no see," he says, with a small wave.

"It has been a while, huh?" asks Shikamaru.

Choji, who is at his side, says, "Hey, Naruto! Great to see you! Sorry to run off, but my plate's getting empty, and, you know…" It's not the best of excuses, but it works, and if Naruto weren't pretty sure that everyone was in on this, then he would have fallen for it, no question. Either way, Choji practically vanishes, leaving him alone with the one man he's wanted to see.

"So...been kinda busy huh?" he asks, not really sure where to start. He told himself that he was going to go for it, but he's still diving in without much of a plan beyond that. Plans have never been Naruto's strong suit, after all; Shikamaru is far better at things like that.

"We've both been pretty busy," Shikamaru says with a nod, giving Naruto a half-smile. "Been a real pain in the ass, huh?"

"Yeah, I'll say! So...uh...I was wondering…" He trails off.

Shikamaru raises a brow, and Naruto finds that he has no idea what he should say. There is a silence that he can't figure out how to break, until Shikamaru laughs, shaking his head. "You're not very good at this, are you, Naruto?"

"Hey, shut up!" he protests. "If you're so good at it...whatever you think _it _is, then why don't you...you know! Do it!"

"Well, obviously I'm not very good at it either, considering it's taken us this long," he says with a shrug. "Not that that's entirely our fault either, all things considering."

"So, what...what are you talking about?" asks Naruto, not wanting to get his hopes up even though it seems that he and Shikamaru are on the same page here. "Where do you think this is…"

"Come on, are you really _that _stupid?"

"Hey! You don't have to be mean about it! I just wanted to make sure before I said anything else and made myself _look _stupid!"

"When do you not look stupid, man?" Again, he shakes his head. "Just say whatever it is you wanna say, alright? We made it this far, didn't we?"

"We haven't even really _done _anything."

"But it's been just as hard on you, hasn't it?" It's so hard to get across what they mean, and it's harder still for Naruto to be sure that he's correctly interpreting what Shikamaru is saying to him. But after all this time, it seems kind of lame that this is their big confrontation, that this is supposed to be the moment where it all happens.

"Can we go somewhere after this?" he asks, sounding more frustrated than he intended to. "I just mean...I want to catch up. I dunno on what, we just need to catch up!"

"Naruto, I really wanna say, 'you know I'm not as stupid as you are,' right now, but…" He sighs. "I think I might be, at least where this is concerned. But, at the same time, I'm pretty sure I can at least figure out that that was your lame attempt at asking me on a date. Am I right?"

Naruto flushes, hearing it put into words like that, but he nods. "I mean...if that's what you want to do, or we could just hang out, or...no, but yeah. I want to see where it goes. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that mission, and I think that I...you know."

Is it just him wanting to see it, or is Shikamaru blushing now too? He looks off to the side as he says, "Yeah, it's been like that for me too. Not really sure what any of that means, but…"

It isn't much progress, but they're getting there, and at the pace things have moved up until now, Naruto doesn't think they're doing too bad at all. He grins and says, "Hey, you know, it'll be better to give _me _a chance anyway, since I'm not a woman! So I'll be easier to deal with, right?"

At that, Shikamaru actually bursts out laughing. "Man, I just want you to know that you're probably _way _harder to deal with. Just because you're not as complicated doesn't mean-"

"Watch it!" he interrupts with a scowl. "Do you want me to take it back before I even go out with you?"

"No," says Shikamaru, and there is a different look on his face now, one Naruto has never seen before on anyone, but especially on his friend. He moves in a little closer, and the room is getting pretty hot now. "No, I don't," he says, and now that their faces are so close, Naruto can't help but gulp. Just what is he getting at now?

"S-so," he says, trying to continue, trying to press on and hide how nervous the sudden closeness has made him, after all the distance that's been between them, "better watch what you say then, cos if I could change my mind any time, you know, if I felt like it, and…"

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"You talk way too much sometimes. It's kind of a pain."

This is the point where Naruto would, normally, protest, but with how close they are, it's no big deal for Shikamaru to close the remaining distance between their faces, and just like that, like it's nothing, he puts his lips to Naruto's. It's just for a moment, so fast that anyone could have missed it, and then it's over and Naruto's head is swimming.

"Better go find Choji," says Shikamaru. "Meet me after, alright?"

"I...alright," he says, because he's so thrown from the kiss- a kiss! Shikamaru kissed him! With no warning!- that that is all he can think to say. Wherever they go from here, he'll just have to take that as it comes, but he's glad, at the very least, that they finally made it to this point.

~X~

Shikamaru has no idea where came over him in that moment, and is glad that he was able to play it cool enough that Naruto could not tell just how nervous he actually was.


End file.
